Friend,
As we enter a harrowing new chapter in American life, remember this: we are stronger than we think.
Trump is doing exactly what he promised to do: making the worst possible choices about who should run the federal government.
Or perhaps that’s not their job—their job is to dismantle it, to break it, to ensure that it can’t carry out the will of the American people.
Matt Gaetz as Attorney General. RFK Jr. as Health and Human Services Secretary. Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence.
The exact people these agencies seek to protect the public from are now poised to run them.
And perhaps worse, we know that this is just the beginning.
But before I get into it, can I ask you to chip in $24 to help WisDems continue our fight against Trump and his MAGA extremists?
As all this happens, I encourage you, first and foremost, to take care of yourself. And also—alongside the fear and numbness that may be creeping in— to find a space for fury at what they’re going to do to this country that we love.
But most importantly, give yourself room for hope.
Trump wasn’t shy about his plans. But that doesn’t mean the public actually wanted them to happen. It’s a safe bet to say that many of the people who voted for Trump are going to be shocked by what he does with his power. Analysis after analysis has found that the people paying the most attention in the election were more likely to vote for Harris. Voters have a huge range of motivations; some voted for Trump out of frustration with, for example, high prices. In the weeks and months to come, as the headlines scream about the latest horror that Trump and his cronies have visited on this country, some of these voters will be taken by surprise.
Trump won, and we have a great deal of learning to do about what happened and how we can prevail in the future. But amidst all of that, I continue to believe that the core values that make us Democrats are still deeply felt across this country.
Our belief in freedom, democracy, and economic opportunity for all. Our commitment to the dignity of work. Our faith in the intrinsic, equal, and precious value of every person—that everyone, by dint of their humanity, is worthy of respect.
Some people voted against Democrats because they don’t believe we actually stand for these values. That’s what Trump and his allies sought to convey. Through our actions and our words, we will show them that we do.
Some people voted for Trump because they don’t realize how profoundly he opposes those values. Trump’s actions will make his values clear, and how we fight will further communicate what we’re about.
And there are some—including people Trump is appointing to jobs of enormous power—who simply do not share these basic American values. While we work to contain the damage Trump wreaks, we will seek to persuade the voters we can, and outvote those we cannot.
In the midst of all those, remember: Trump is one of the most corrupt individuals in American history, and he is a magnet for others who want to share in the bounty of corruption. Most Americans of all political persuasions revile corruption. Exposing and opposing the culture of corruption was part of how Democrats won in 2006 after George W. Bush’s victory in 2004, and it will be a part of the fight again now.
All of this will play out nationally and in Wisconsin at the same time. And yet—before the midterms, before the presidential election, amidst all the learning and soul-searching and reckoning with what just took place—we will cast our eyes to another election, just 133 days away.
On April 1, 2025, Wisconsin will make yet another existential choice in our state Supreme Court election. That race will once again determine the majority. This time, it will be the first major electoral test for both sides since November 5. And there will be many more races on the April 1 ballot. I’ll share more about those fights next week.
In short, the fight goes on. And we need to show that Wisconsinites are ready to keep fighting for progress, democracy, and decency this April. Will you chip in $24 to help us gear up for the fight ahead?
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Trump has already begun to misfire, overstep, and betray those around him. He’s going to provoke a backlash.
Our values are our strength. Our infrastructure is powerful. As Wisconsin demonstrated last week, we fight, and—in Tammy Baldwin’s race, in four state Senate flips, in ten state Assembly flips—we win.
In the months to come, we’re all going to need each other. Be patient with yourself as you process your emotions, take time to consider new perspectives—and, remembering the values that lead us to do this work—rediscover your extraordinary strength for what’s next.
In solidarity,
Ben
